This invention relates in general to a device for monitoring and regulating fluid pressure and, in particular, to a device for regulating and monitoring fluid pressure during administration of medicament to a patient.
Devices for simply monitoring fluid pressure (for example blood pressure) in a patient are known and used in the art. Typically, these devices consist of a graduated manometer tube in communication with fluid being administered to a patient from an I.V. bottle. A stopcock is provided to control the fluid flow between the I.V. bottle, manometer and patient. To continuously monitor the patient's venous pressure, the stopcock is set so that I.V. solution can flow to both the patient and the manometer. As the patient's blood pressure increases due to the addition of the I.V. solution, the increase is indicted by a rise in the fluid level in the manometer. Since the manometer is graduated, changes in the central venous pressure can be monitored.
These prior art devices, while adequate for monitoring venous pressure are not suitable for other uses as, for example, where medication is to be pumped into a patient and there is the possibility of blockage. Such devices are typically used in a closed system which does not provide an outlet for excess fluid should fluid pressure increase beyond a safe value. As a result, use of such devices for pressurized administration of medicament could result in rupture of blood vessels or other harm to the patient.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring and regulating means to prevent an excessive increase in fluid pressure during pressurized administration of medicament.
A further object of the invention is to provide a means for capturing and measuring the overflow of fluid from the manometer to determine how much of the fluid was not administered to the patient.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a fluid administrative device which does not need to be continually monitored.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description.